Greyhound Racing Victoria GAP Figures “Questionable”

Media ReleaseTuesday 15 March 2016

The validity of adoption statistics recently issued by Greyhound Racing Victoria (GRV) for its Greyhound Adoption Program (GAP) has been called into question, as they may include greyhounds already adopted out by independent rehoming groups.

The paperwork required for GAP’s green collar test for muzzling exemption has left greyhound adopters wondering if their dogs have been falsely added to GAP’s adoption numbers, even though they had already been through other groups at the time of testing.

“I adopted my greyhound through Greyhound Safety Net in 2013,” said Simone Oliver from Melbourne. “When I took her to GAP to get temperament tested in 2014 for a green collar, I had to ‘surrender’ her to them first and then re-adopt her from them. I was appalled.”

GAP’s website states that non-GAP greyhounds can apply for a green collar assessment if their owner signs GAP’s standard adoption contract.

“We have had it happen time and time again with hounds adopted from our group,” said Sherree Owen, founder of Greyhound Rescue Victoria. “One adopter refused to sign GAP’s adoption contract and they said that if she didn't sign it, she wouldn't get the green collar even if her girl passed.”

This revelation comes after GRV announced that GAP had organised adoptions for 6,100 greyhounds over 20 years, including a ‘record’ 847 adoptions last year.

“It’s disappointing to find that GRV’s adoption figures may not stand up to scrutiny,” said Dr. Eleonora Gullone, founder of the Coalition for the Protection of Greyhounds. “What’s more concerning is that even if we take GAP’s adoption figures at face value, they are far below what is needed to eliminate “wastage”.”

“In Victoria alone, the industry has been breeding an average of 1,098 litters every year for the last 13 years. The average greyhound litter size is 6 puppies.

“If GRV has rehomed only 6,100 greyhounds in the last 20 years while producing roughly 6,588 puppies every year, one has to ask: what has happened to all the other dogs?”